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Primary sourceDocument8 July 1775

Olive Branch Petition

John Dickinson · 8 July 1775

The Continental Congress's 1775 appeal to George III seeking reconciliation, which the King refused even to receive.

This final colonial appeal for reconciliation was rejected while North's ministry pursued a policy of coercion toward the colonies.

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Scan of the Olive Branch Petition, a handwritten parchment with two sheets joined together. The left sheet holds dense text and a column of signatures, with John Hancock's large signature at the top. The right sheet has further signatures grouped by colony, such as Virginia and North Carolina.
Olive Branch Petition, 8 July 1775. UK National Archives.

About this source

What it is

Adopted on 5 July 1775 and signed on 8 July 1775, this petition was the Second Continental Congress's final attempt to avoid war with Britain. Mainly written by John Dickinson, with help from Benjamin Franklin and others, it affirmed American loyalty and asked King George III to prevent further conflict. It is now held by the UK National Archives.

Why it matters

The petition shows that many colonial leaders still hoped the King might side with them against Parliament. George III refused to read it before declaring the colonies in rebellion, a decision that convinced figures like John Adams that reconciliation was impossible and strengthened the push toward independence.

Look closer

  • Why did the colonists address their petition directly to the King rather than Parliament?
  • What does the King's refusal to receive it tell us about his view of the conflict?
  • How might this rejection have changed opinions among colonial leaders?

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